SEA LEAGUE

The latest results from Britain’s biggest event for shore match anglers

PENN PLUS WYVERN OPEN FESTIVAL

Slapton Sands, Devon, 148 anglers

The South West’s first major event of 2020 attracted a good turnout in perfect weather – a light south-westerly wind and a flat sea – for this five-hour, best of two specimen fish event.

Catches consisted of whiting, dogfish, mackerel, garfish and thornback rays. A whiting of 1lb 13oz 7dr and a dogfish of 2lb 3oz 10dr for 211.67% secured the £200 first prize and Brixham Bowl for Russell Preston, of Bristol.

Second was Mike Hingston, of DOE SAC, with a dogfish and whiting for 164.27%.

■ Result: 1 Russell Preston, Bristol, 211.67% (14pts); 2 Mike Hingston, DOE SAC, 164.27% (13); 3 Dave Chidzoy, West Bay, 162.53% (12); 4 Tony Havill, Torbay & Babbacombe SAC, 148.87% (11); 5 Julian Shambrook, Torquay, 144.2% (10); 6 Dave Lane, Weymouth, 143.67% (9); 7 Richard Dorgan, Bristol, 143.47% (8); 8 Alan Hobbs, Roving Rods SAC, 142.60% (7); 9 Dan Butt, Axe Valley, 140.80% (6); 10 Stuart Holden, Three Counties, 136.87% (5).

DEAN FOSTER MEMORIAL OPEN

Noses Point to Blackhall Chair, County Durham, 179 anglers

In this heaviest fish match’s best turnout ever, the winner of the £1,000 first prize was Gary Golightly with a 6lb 12oz 3dr cod caught at Boaties Bay, Easington, on a black lug, cart and squid bait. He also had the second heaviest bag weight of 6-12-3.

Runner-up Daniel Swan earned £500 for the 5lb 10oz 9dr codling he caught at Seaham, while it was at Blackhall where third-placed Dean Ambler caught a 5lb 4oz 10dr fish and had the heaviest bag weight of 7-8-8. ■ Result: 1 Gary Golightly, Peterlee, 6-12-3 (17pts); 2 Daniel Swan, Sunderland, 5-10-9 (16); 3 Dean Ambler, 5-4-10, also heaviest bag, 7-8-8 (15); 4 Andy Foster, Easington, 5-3-9 (14); 5 Nathan Brennan, 5-1-15 (13).

THE 18TH ANNUAL AIR AMBULANCE OPEN

Amroth, Pembrokeshire, 111 anglers

After an overnight storm, there was a good surf running with 26 anglers catching 433 fish, consisting of 423 flounders, six dabs, three codling to 3lb 8oz and a turbot.

Winner with four flounders for 1.495kg was Tony O’Neill, of Saundersfoot, followed by Mark Griffiths, of Gorseinon, with the heaviest fish, a 1.545kg cod.

■ Result: 1 Tony O’Neill, Saundersfoot, 4 flounders, 1.495kg (11pts); 2 (heaviest fish) Mark Griffiths, Gorseinon, 1.545kg cod (10); 3 Stuart Allen, Tenby, 4 flatfish, 1.405kg (9).

THE 43RD AMBLE OPEN

Seahouses to Lynemouth, Northumberland, 478 anglers

Attracting 478 anglers, an increase of 38 on last year, the big match was dominated by flounders with 526 caught along with 131 cod and 12 coalfish.

With 171 anglers weighing in, it was Gateshead match angler Neil Cutler who won the £500 heaviest bag prize with 16 flounders and a coalfish, caught at Beadnell, for 15-7-0. The £500 heaveist fish prize went to Gavin Lockey, of Amble, with a 10lb 1oz 8dr cod.

■ Result: 1 Neil Cutler, Gateshead, 17 fish, 15-7-0 (30pts); 2 D Bell, Newbiggin, 15, 14-14-0 (29); 3 Phil Grey, Alnwick, 14, 14-9-0 (28); 4 Simon Hill, Seaham, 7, 14-0-8 (27); 5 Keith Smith, Blyth, 11, 13-5-8 (26); 6 Billy Foster, Newbiggin, 7, 12-5-0 (25); 7 Adam Johnson, South Shields, 6, 12-5-0 (24); 8 Chris Guthrie, Cramlington, 11, 12-4-8 (23); 9 David Harvey, Newbiggin, 14, 12-0-0 (22); 10 Stephen Hewitson, St Bees, 4, 11-7-12 (21). Heaviest fish – Gavin Lockey, Amble, 10-1-8 cod (10).

THE ASSO TWO-DAY OPEN

Hythe, Kent, 240 anglers

Overall winner with two zone victories was World number one shore angler and Asso consultant Saul Page.

The England angler finished a point ahead of fellow England angler and Asso consultant George Smith with a zone first and a second. Third place went to Ben Richards from Ramsey, Isle of Man.

With more than £7,000 in cash and loads of Asso line prizes on offer, it attracted 120 competitors, including some of the best anglers from across the UK, plus a contingent from Holland and Belgium.

With both days fished in a strong southwesterly wind, which produced testing conditions, Day 1 winner was Jacob Gainey with 7.900kg of whiting, dogfish and a 2.6kg thornback ray.

Other zone winners on Day 1 were Ben Richards, Saul Page and George Smith. Saul, from Deal, won Day 2 with 11.700kg, and also included a 1.500kg ray. Zone winners were Darren Bond, Karl Nangle and Brett Cotter.

■ Result: 1 Saul Page, Deal, 2pts (20pts); 2 George Smith, Grimsby, 3pts (19);

3 Ben Richards, Ramsey (18); 4 Darren Bond, Lancing (17); 5 Julian Shambrook, Torquay, (16). Zones (based on daily entry, 120 anglers) – Jacob Gainey, Canterbury; Karl Nangle, Grimsby & Brett Cotter, Deal (all 4).